


To Cut Hair

by RealityXIllusion



Series: Reid's New Friends [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: BAMF Spencer Reid, Everyone's sleep deprived, Gen, Genderqueer Character, OC, Rape is only in mentioning of the UnSub's vic's, Reid is Awkward, Reid is awesome, Trust issues abound, cutting hair, genderqueer oc, hair styling, part of a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 07:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12206496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealityXIllusion/pseuds/RealityXIllusion
Summary: It was in between getting a case and actually solving the case while the Team was getting everything set up at their motel in Wayne, New Jersey that someone realizes Reid had a...unique talent, and Reid makes a new friend.





	To Cut Hair

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Criminal Minds. Warning(s): Mentions of Death, rape, drugging, torture, [all for the case], swear words, stuttering, trust issues, randomness, awkward moments perhaps?, NO ROMANCE EVEN IF IT MAY SEEM LIKE THERE IS, I'M SORRY  
> TAKES PLACE AROUND SEASON 5-6, THIS MAY SEEM AU

It was the third night they've been there and just after nine when they were finally leaving the local police station and heading back to their motel for a much needed nights rest, although none of them were too keen on taking a break, especially so early, orders were orders...

The UnSub had yet to be apprehended, they hadn't even completed their profile yet! All they knew so far was that the UnSub definitely had a type; age range 16-19 years old. all blonde, female, slim and with green eyes. So far three victims had been found over the course of one month, and according to the M.E each victim had been raped a multiple of times post-mortem, with signs of torture through possibly water-boarding since there are no nearby bodies of water to the dump sites, and each one of them had been strangled then released repeatedly. This case was hard on all of them.

Three days and they still were at step one and nowhere near catching this guy.

"Damn..." Morgan muttered, stretching as soon as they entered the motel's lobby.

"I know what you mean." Emily sighed trying to get rid of the kink in her neck.

"Alright I know we're all tired," Hotch said moving to stand in front of them all, "We'll all have to split up into pairs since we only have three rooms. Morgan, you and Reid take 15A. Prentiss, JJ the two of you will be in 19A while Dave and I are in 24A."

"Why so far apart?" Rossi asked.

"The reservations were made last minute they didn't have any rooms open close together or for singles." Hotch explained, "Now all of you get plenty of rest and we'll head back over to the station at 9 AM sharp."

A chorus of 'Yes Sir's,' answered Hotch as he turned around and made his way towards the reception desk to let the girl know they were signing in, as was the policy so the motel could keep track of their customers manually while the systems were being upgraded.

"No reading tonight Pretty Boy, just sleep," Morgan warned, knowing Reid had the habit of staying up way later than he should lose inside of one of his books.

Reid pouted but nodded, either way, even he knew everyone was running on pure caffeine right about now and needed some sleep.

"Let's go," Hotch said once he was back over with them. One by one they all entered the elevator and got off at the second floor, Morgan, and Reid is the first to enter their rooms, and then Emily and JJ, and later Hotch and Rossi.

It was like the domino effect that they all fell asleep one right after the other.

Almost all of them.

Reid laid on his back in his and Morgan's motel room. For five almost six hours now he's laid there thinking. there was something about the victims that he felt was important to the profile but for the life of him he just couldn't figure out what. Sighing in annoyance and realizing he clearly wasn't going to be able to get any sleep until he figured it out, Reid quietly got up off his bed and left the room shutting the door silently behind him. He might as well go get his first coffee for the day.

It was as he walked around the corner of what must have been the eighth hall he's been in that Reid realized he was lost and...he could hear someone crying?

Frowning to himself, Reid momentarily forgot his quest for a nice steaming mug (or maybe even a pot) of coffee and instead searched for the source of all the crying he's heard and was still hearing.

Stopping in front of what seemed to be the janitors closet Reid froze and braced himself for what he could possibly find. Hesitantly he reached out, gripped the door handle and pulled it open just to see... to see a woman...in some sort of dress that was clearly torn, crying with her make-up smeared down her face and her dark red hair sticking up in all directions. It looked like someone just grabbed fistfuls of her hair and started chopping it away.

"Are...Are you okay? Miss?"

Reid was definitely shocked when the person looked up and he saw that the woman he thought was in front of him was actually a very slim male simply dressed...as a woman, "Oh...u-uh my apologies...a-are you alright though? Should I call someone?"

"N-No!" The man choked out, turning away from Reid.

"...Are you hurt...?"

The man sniffled and didn't answer, sighing Reid decided to try one last time,

"My name is Spencer Reid, I am a member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, the rest of my team is in their rooms at the moment...did someone attack you? I can help but only if you'll let me."

Wide-eyed the man stared at Reid in shock, his tears finally stopping, "Y-You're a fed?"

"Yes."

"I...I'm fine...don't you have more important things to worry about?"

"I consider the fact that I found you here like this crying, is a pretty important cause for worry," Reid replied seriously.

The man smirked, "Are you coming onto me, Mr. Reid?"

Reid blushed and began to rant while stuttering, "N-No! Ah. N-Not that you aren't b-beautiful! Y-You're just not my type...a-and I-It's...it's doctor actually...but you could call me Spencer, or Reid or Doctor...whichever one you're comfortable with, but I was trying to tell you that I really am worried about you and you shouldn't think that you're not worth worrying about. I mean clearly, something happened, your pupils are dilated and your voice is still trembling slightly and-"

"Spencer!"

"Y-Yeah?"

The man blinked at Reid before suddenly smiling and breaking out into fits of laughter. "I-I'm sorry!" The man said in between laughs when he saw the look on Reid's face, "My names Samuel Beckett but today I'm going but Samantha or Sam, or even Sammy Beckett."

Reid tilted his head, observing the man in front of him, "...You're...Gender-Queer?"

Sam looked pleasantly surprised, "You know what that is?"

Reid nodded, "Genderqueer, also called non-binary or gender-expansive, is a catch-all category for gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine—identities which are thus outside of the gender binary and cisnormativity. Most even refer to it as one being Gender-fluid where a person whose gender identity or gender expression is not fixed to one certain gender and shifts over time or depending on the situation. For example, a male such as yourself may be a male but feel like a female on certain days or at certain times resulting in taking on a more feminine appearance and title along with the female pronouns."

Sam stared at Reid in awe, "You sound like you just read that out of a book word for word!"

Reid blushed in embarrassment and looked away, "I...uh...I did. I have, let's say a very good memory."

After a moment or two of awkward silence, Reid suddenly stared right at Sam and said, "How badly hurt are you? Can you move?"

"I'm..." Sam winced as she tried moving, "I'm sore but I think I'm okay." Sam coughed slightly and hesitantly added, "B-But...c-could you help me...get to my room?"

Reid knew to go to some stranger's room, even if they were both adults, wasn't exactly the safest thing for someone to do but he did offer to help, and he couldn't bring himself to just leave Sam here all alone in a janitor's closet of all things. "Sure," Reaching out Reid slipping Sam's arm over his shoulder and slowly helped her stand up, though she leaned pretty heavily onto his shoulder despite being slightly shorter but definitely more muscular, "Where too?"

"26B."

Reid gaped at her, "That's the third floor! why are you in a janitors closet on the second floor?"

Sam looked down and grimaced before answering, "I...I thought I found someone to...uh...to, honestly? A fuck buddy, but apparently he thought I was a girl-girl not some...some boy pretending...he wasn't too happy."

"Did he assault you?" Reid asked, he barely knew Sam but he was definitely angry if someone was hurt simply for being themselves, god knows he's been through it enough.

"He didn't rape me if that's what you mean."

"I think you know what I'm asking..."

"Yeah...he hit me a bit...but I'm fine, really. I-I hid in the closet when I ran away from him."

"...Are you okay?"

"Honestly? No, right now I'm not. but...I might be."

Staying silent Reid helped Sam walk down the hall and around a corner towards an elevator which they both entered, but not without an odd look from a young woman getting off on that floor. Reaching Sam's room went a lot quicker than either of them expected, and after a bit of awkward fumbling around for the room key soon the both of them were inside with Reid helping Sam sit down on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome..." Reid paused, "Do you...Do you need me to call anyone? Oh! We need to call the poli-"

"NO!"

"E-Excuse me? Why not?"

"Do you really think they'll care?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Well..." Sam smiled at Reid sadly, "I'm a freak, aren't I? I can't even decide on one fucking gender, heh..."

"Stop that." Reid said angrily, startling Sam, "How the hell does being yourself make you a freak? So what if you're Genderqueer? There are others out there who are as well! And if the police won't help you because of something like that then they shouldn't even be on the force in the first place."

"I-I..."

"Sam?" Reid said alarmed as Sam suddenly pulled him onto the bed and hugged him tightly, "Sam, what's wrong?"

"T-Thank you Spencer...just...thank you."

Despite his growing discomfort, Reid stayed there, laying half on half off the bed with Sam practically on top of him and squeezing the living daylights out of him, without even realizing it Reid fell asleep.

A few Hours Later~~

"-encer?"

"Spencer...'ake up."

"Spencer wake up!"

Startled Reid jerked to the side, falling off the bed and landing with a loud thump right on the floor.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?! I didn't mean to scare you!"

Reid blinked up at the blurry figure leaning over him, he could just barely man out the red hair, luckily he could immediately recognize the voice, "Sam?" But then another question came to mind, "Why're you in my room? And why am I on the floor?"

"Huh? Oh! You fell off when I just tried waking you, and Spencer you're in my room I guess we kind of...fell...asleep?"

Grumbling under his breathe Reid leaped, quite ungracefully, to his feet and all but ran/stumbled towards what he thought was the apartment door but actually turned out to be the door to the bathroom.

"Spencer?"

"Spencer, what're you doing?"

Seeing as how he wasn't listening, Sam grabbed Reid by the shoulder's forcing him to stop moving around so much and to listen, "What's wrong?"

"S-Sorry! I have to go, I'm on a case here and we're supposed to meet back at the station early this morning."

"Spencer it's only seven am."

"We're supposed to be up and ready to leave by nine!"

"You have time! So stop running around like a chicken without its head before you hurt yourself okay?"

Reid nodded knowing that Sam was right, "Sorry. I really do have to go...but are you okay?"

Sam smiled at Reid, "Yeah...I'm fine, by the way, it's Samuel or Sam today okay? And...I thought it over but I still won't go to the police, I'm leaving today anyway. I was only here on vacation before I head back to Florida..."

"Are you sure? And Florida?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Sam said firmly, "And yeah, I work at a beach restaurant there, it's really great you...you should come to visit sometime, b-but that wasn't me asking you out! Honestly!"

Reid smiled, "I hate beaches but maybe I could still maybe visit Florida sometime and don't worry I know."

Sam laughed and walked towards the bathroom, "Now I just need to try to salvage my hair before my little sister sees me when she comes to pick me up."

"Salvage it?"

Hearing the confused tone in Reid's voice, Sam turned and arched an eyebrow at him, "You honestly don't see it? My hair makes a birds nest look like a models haircut, not to mention I've been meaning to get it cut..."

"Lemme do it." Reid blurted out.

"What?"

"I...uh..." Reid coughed, "I sort of know how to cut hair? I mean it'd be quicker and I could do it for free...it's fine if you don't want me too though. I shouldn't have offered. I'm sorry."

"Nono!" Sam cut Reid off, "I wouldn't mind but...are you going to be able to cut it? You just tripped over my bag...which, might I add, was in plain sight."

"I'll need to head back to my room to get ready and find my glasses first but yes I can cut it. I've been doing my moms and a couple of friends ever since I was a kid."

So, agreeing to meet back in Sam's room Reid hurried to get back to his own room and was somewhat relieved and shocked to see Morgan was nowhere in sight shrugging it off, however, Reid continued into the room and picked out fresh pair of clothes and grabbed everything he would need for the case before stuffing it into his satchel and putting on his glasses before leaving the room and locking the door behind him.

Slowing down by his other teammate's rooms Reid was greeted by silence there was well, but deciding not to worry about it, Reid continued past their rooms and headed back to the elevator to get to Sam's.

"You actually came back?" Sam said shocked as he opened the door when he had heard knocking just after finishing blow-drying his hair.

"Of course," Reid said confused, "Why wouldn't I? I said I would do your hair, I can't really do it if I'm not here."

"I know I just...well, I didn't think you meant it."

"Did you not want me too?"

"Oh, Spencer I would give anything to get my hair done already. You want to give it a shot then go right ahead. Do you need anything?"

"Umm...a comb...scissors...a hairbrush and maybe some hair clips and ties?" Reid said as he came into the room and set his satchel down on one of the open chairs by the rooms small kitchen.

"Coming right up!" Sam responded cheerily.

Reid grabbed two towels from the bathroom and laid one on the floor under the other chair and held the last one out to Sam when he reappeared with all of the requested items.

"Slip the towel around your shoulders, that way we don't get any hair on the floor."

Silently Sam did exactly as he was told and grinned to himself as Reid went about gently brushing his hair, far more gentle then Sam thought he would be.

"Was there a style you already wanted?"

Sam hesitated, he didn't really know but he didn't want to waste Reid's time, "Uhh...whatever you think suits me best is fine."

Reid hummed but otherwise said nothing as he got to work. The process was...calm, but peaceful nothing at the moment felt awkward to either of them, soon the silence was interrupted by Reid reciting Empty Planet from memory when he had asked Sam if he's read it and Sam admitted to never reading it before. I' was about halfway through the third chapter that Reid stopped talking and did a few more small cuts before setting the scissors down and pulling the towel off of Sam while being careful not to get any more hair on the floor.

Hesitantly Reid gestured for Sam to go to the bathroom, "I'm done...b-but I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted..."

Sam didn't speak. He just stood there, in front of the bathroom mirror, gaping at his reflection.

Finally just as Reid was about to start mentally berating himself for screwing up so badly, Sam spun around and pulled Reid in a tight hug. Reid was startled and winced as the side of his glasses began to press uncomfortably into the side of his head.

"This looks awesome!" Sam yelled excitedly, "What the hell Spencer! I thought you said you only did your mom and a few friends?! This looks totally professional!"

Sam's red hair went from a birds nest of knots and uneven strands to wavy with slight curls reaching just an inch or two above his shoulders and given side bangs on either side which framed his face perfectly. It was also a unisex look, so Sam could wear it however as a boy or a girl.

Unable to help it, Reid laughed at Sam's excitement and found himself getting just as excited over it.

"Seriously Spencer this is amazing, thank you!" Sam grinned, "Who would've thought an FBI man could cut hair?"

Reid grinned back at him, "Well, I am a man of many talents."

Sam shook his head in disbelief as he eyed his new haircut once again, "I'm inclined to believe that."

"I really do need to get going, be careful on your trip home okay?"

Sam smirked, "Yes mom. But really, thanks."

"It's no problem, I offered to remember?"

"Yeah yeah, wait here." Sam ran back out to the living room and grabbed some paper and quickly wrote something down before giving it to Reid who had followed him despite being told to wait there.

"What's this?" Reid said staring at the numbers on the paper Sam had just given him.

"It's my phone number. No, not because I want to get you on a date with me, which trust me I wouldn't mind, but because it'd be nice if we could just...talk."

Blushing Reid nodded in agreement, it would be nice if they could keep in touch, "Right. uh here," Reid took out his cell and quickly typed something and put it away just as Sam's cell let off a little ding alerting to a new text, "And that's my number."

Reid grabbed his stuff and walked to the door with Sam just behind him, "It was nice meeting you Sam, though I wish it was under different circumstances...but still. Have fun getting home alright?"

Sam laughed, "Alrighty mister FBI-man, go catch yourself a criminal."

Reid chuckled, "We're trying."

Sam softly shut the door after Reid and both walked off in different directions, grinning to themselves happy about making a new friend.

It was 8:56 by the time Reid made it back to the station, everyone else was already there and settled in. They questioned him on where he was but Reid easily deflected their questions and soon the matter was forgotten altogether as they all started working on the case.

It was around 11:45, just as they had found a lead, that Reid's phone buzzed with a picture of a very familiar redhead boarding a plane with a younger redhead by his side. Underneath the picture was the text,

'C ya Feddy, Florida awaits!'

**Author's Note:**

> There you have it! Reid's little talent has gained him a new friend!


End file.
